Gaeeett j



(No Model.)

G. J. GOUOHOIS.

, PLAITING ATTACHMENT TOR SEWING MACHINES. No. 354,101. Patented Dec.14, 1886.

. "111 IIN A u Nv PETERSv Pnma-umogmpher. wnmgnm D. C.

UNiTnn STATI-:s

PATENT OFFICE.

GARRETT J. COUCHOIS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE PERFEC- TIONTUCKER COMPANY.

PLAITING ATTACHMENT FOR`SEWINGIVACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 354,101, dated December14:, 1886. 5

(No model.)

T all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, GARRETT J. CoUcHois, a citizen of the United States,residing in Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois,

have invented cert-ain new and useful Improvements in PlaitingAttachments for Sewing- Machines, of which the following is aspeciiication.

This invention relates to improvements in 1o plaiting attachments forsewingmachines in which the plaits are folded and sewed during theirpassage through the attachment, the seam of each plait serving as aguide for the next succeeding plait.

The prime object of this invention is to produce a plaiting attachmentwhich shall fold and guide the material during its passage therethrough,andwithout the necessity of previously folding, creasing, or otherwisemarking the material.

Another object is to provide a plaiting attachment by which the width ofeach plait and the distance between any two of them may bereadilydetermined and fixed, whereby the uniform width and distanceapart of each plait throughout its length is insured.

Other objects are to provide certain details of construction necessaryto the successful carrying out of my invention, hereinafter fully 3odescribed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-VFigure l represents a perspective view of a plaiting attachmentembodying my invention; Fig. 2, a plan View thereof, Fig. 3, a detailperspective View of plaitgage and guide; Figs.

et and 5, detail views illustrating the operation of inserting thematerial into the plaiter.

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A indicates the mainor bed plate of 4o my device, provided with a slot, a., through whichworks a thumb-screw for securing the attachment to the bed-plate of thesewing-machine. Projecting from the forward end of this hed-plate, andbeyond a shoulder, b, ex-

tending transversely across said plate, is a lip,

B, upon which and abutting against the shoulder b normally rests apresser-plate, C, secured to the free end of an overhanging arm, D,which projects upwardly a suitable distance 5o from said plate in theform of a semicircle,

and then extends rearwardly in an approximately horizontal plane nearlyto the rear end of the bed-plate A, where it drops in a vertical line tothe bed plate, with which it is connected by means of a swiveledhinge-connection. This swiveled hinge-connection consists of a smallswivel-plate, E, pivoted at the rear end thereof to aV sliding plate, F,and having turned up on either side thereof, and near the forward end,ears or lugs c c, to and between 6o which is hinged or pivoted ahinge-block, d, rigidly secured to the end of the overhanging arm D.

The swivel-plate E is pivoted to the sliding plate F near the forwardend of said plate, which extends rearwardly asuitable distance, and hasprovided therein a slot, e, through which works a set-screw, f, foradjustably securing the said plate to the bed-plate A.

Such a connection as the onejust described 7o not only permits theelevation of the overhanging arm and presser-'plate upon thehingeconnection in a line with the bed-plate, but it may be first swungupon the swivel in an approximately horizontal plane forward or towardthe operator and away from under the sewing-machine head and arm, andthen upwardly upon its hinge at any angle to the said arm.

Connected with the bed-plate A, near the 8o rear end thereof and bymeans of just such another hinge and swivel connection as has beendescribed, is a folder-plate, G, adapted and arranged to lie above butin approximately the same plane as the bed and presser plates, and toproject above the said presser-plate and forward ot' the shoulder b, bywhich it is held free from contact with the said plate; or at least thegreater portion of the weight of said folder-plate will be sustained bythe said shoul- 9o der and the presser-plate relieved therefrom, for thepurpose of reducing friction between the parts. This folder-plate isemployed for gaging and determining the width of each tuck, in additionto its functions as a folder-plate, and it will be readily understood byreference to Figs. 4 and 5 that the said plate lies between and, inpoint of fact, produces a fold in the material by reason of itsprojection forward ofthe shoulder upon the bed-plate, against Ioo whichthe free end ofthe presser-plate abats, under which latter plate thegoods is rst Y unnecessarily.productive of friction between the plates.v

In addition to the parts previously described in this device, I employ acombined foldergage and guide-plate,H, secured to the forward free endof an overhanging arm, I, similar in shape and construction t theoverhanging arm D of the presser-plate C, projecting rearwardly and adjustably secured to the bed-plate, preferably between the presser andfolder plates,

by means of a hinge and swivel connection an exact duplicate of thatpreviously described as connecting said presser and folder plates withthe bed-plate. This gage and folder plate rests on top of the mainfolder-plate G, and is designedto engage and work against the seam ofthe tuck next previously formed, while at the same time it gages thedistance between the plaits, or rather the amount one plait overlaps theother, for in practice the free end of a plait always overlaps the seamof the plait next to it. Thus it will be seen the plate I subserves thedouble purpose of a gage and plaitguide.

By reference to Figs. et and 5y the operation of inserting the materialinto the plaiter will be readily understood; and it consists, first, inthrowing back upon their several hinge and swivel connections thegagefolder and presserplate, and then laying the materialface down uponthe bed-plate,with the edge or hem projecting toward the right orrear-of the bedplate, (with reference to the drawings,) and projectingsufficiently over the shoulder. b thereon. Then bring down thepresser-plate and arm D until it rests upon the bed-plate lip B, withthe free end thereof abutting against the said shoulder. Then fold thematerial back over the presser-plate and swing the folder-plate aroundand down upon it, projecting sufciently over the shoulder to form therequired width of plait, 'and the parts will'now be in the positionshown in Fig. 4. Then fold the material again over the folderplate andbring down upon it the guide or gage plate H, with the free end of saidplate engaging or working against the seam of the hein or tuckpreviously formed, and the parts will now be in the position shown inFig. 5, and the material ready for delivery to the needle.

The width of each plait is readily determined by the distance theshoulder b projects to the right of the needle, and the forward edge ofthe folder-plate should project just .sufdciently'beyond the line of theneedle to permit the thread to enter and secure the fold formed by saidmaterial to the main body of the material under the presser-plate. Thusit will be seen that the adjustment of the folderplate gages andindicates the width of each plait, and in order to more readily indicatethis width to the operator a suitable scale may be stamped or otherwise'formed on the bed-plate and an indeX-inger formed on the folder-plate,whereby the exact width of each plait may be determined, and without thenecessity of measuring.

The guide or gage plate H, which works against the seam of the plaitnext previously formed, serves to guide the material through theattachment in a perfectly-straight line, thus insuring a uniform widthof each plait,

and a uniform relation between all of the plaits throughout their entirelength, and it is designed to be adj usted so that its operatingedgewill rest at anypoint between the shoulder on the bed-plate and theforward edge of l the folder-plate, according to the distance the plait-is desired to overlap the seam of the next plait, and, indeed, ifdesired, may be adj usted to the rear of the shoulder, and thus makeeach plait stand by itself, as is usual with tucks; but such anadjustment will not be found desirable, for the reason that plaits, inpractice, are especially designed to overlap and conceal the seam.

By the employment of my device the necessity for folding, creasing, orotherwise mark` ing the goods to be plaited is entirely avoided, for theplates herein shown and described automatically fold the goods, whilethe gage or guide plate just described guides the material through theattachment with ease and accuracy,

and any novice, however unskilled in the art of sewing, -mayqreadilyform the most perfect plaits that could be desired.

promoting the utility and convenience of the employment of thisattachment.

Having described my invention, what claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent,

is- 1. In a plaiting attachment for sewing-machines, a bed-plate, apresser plate, and a folder-plate, in combination with a guide or gageplate, and a hinge-connection between said guide or gage plate and thebed-plate, substantially as described. Y

2. In a plaiting attachment for sewing-machines, a bed-plate, apresser-plate, and afolder-V plate, in combination with a guide or gageplate, and a hinge and swivel connection between said guide or gageplate and the bed plate, substantially as described.

3. In a plaitng attachment for sewing-ma-` .IOO

chines,a bedplate,apresserplate, and a folderplate, in combination witha guide or gage plate, an overhanging arm secured at one end to saidguide or gage plate, and an adjustable hinge-connection between said armand the bed-plate, substantially as described.

4. In a plaiting attachment for sewing-niachines, a bed-plate, apresser-plate, and a folderplate, in combination with a guide or gageplate, an overhanging arm secured at oneend to said plate, andanadjustable hinge and swivel connection betweensaid arm and thebed-plate, substantiallT as described.

5. In a plaiting attachment for sewing-ina chines, the bed-plate, thepresser and folder plate, and hinge-connections between the said W. WV.ELLIOTT, WILL R. OMoHUNDRo.

